Happy Independence Day!

"When we view the blessings with which our country has been favored, those which we now enjoy, and the means which we possess of handing them down unimpaired to our latest posterity, our attention is irresistibly drawn to the source from whence they flow. Let us then, unite in offering our most grateful acknowledgments for these blessings to the Divine Author of All Good."
--James Monroe, in his 2nd Annual Message to Congress

John Dickinson and Thomas Jefferson
Declaration of the Cause and Necessity of Taking up Arms — 1775 
"With hearts fortified with these animating reflections, we most solemnly, before God and the world, declare, that, exerting the utmost energy of those powers, which our beneficent Creator hath graciously bestowed upon us, the arms we have compelled by our enemies to assume, we will, in defiance of every hazard, with unabating firmness and perseverance employ for the preservation of our liberties; being with one mind resolved to die freemen rather than to live as slaves."

Joseph Warren
American account of the Battle of Lexington — 1775 
"Nevertheless, to the persecution and tyranny of his cruel ministry we will not tamely submit - appealing to Heaven for the justice of our cause, we determine to die or be free...."

Praying that you have a wonderful and safe Independence Day!

God Bless America!!!

Merry, Merry!

 “The most wonderful, gracious event in 

human history was God sending his son into

 the world — to the cross — to save his 

people from their sins’” (Matthew 1:21)

-Jon Bloom



Wishing you and yours a joyous Christmas!!

Happy 4th and crappy internet providers *updated

Posting will be light(er) for awhile around here. Our stupid internet provider failed to mention that they are increasing our bill by $25 a month. Thank God that I just happened to look at the bill today! In the words of Michelle Tanner...'how rude'!!!!

 Fifty-five dollars a month for JUST INTERNET is absolutely ridiculous!!! So, I'll be disconnecting our service as of Wednesday and searching for something cheaper.

*Update- I called my internet provider today and after talking to four different people they gave me my old monthly price back. :)

Just goes to show that it never hurts to ask!!

1/2/3/4/5/6

 I'm SO excited for the fourth of July this year, are you?! 
This is the first year since we've been married, almost nine years now, that the hubs has the day off. Every year I take our kids to the Independence Day parade and he has never been able to go.

On top of that, my brother called last night and said that he and his wife will be coming home (from WA) for the fourth/weekend. I can't wait to see them, plus this holiday just isn't the same when he isn't here!!!
 My brother loves the fourth, he was always buying fireworks and blowing stuff up when we were in high school. One year it was an old Playstation. We would always watch the fireworks together too once it got dark. Our city puts on a big firework show (does yours?). 
I have so many great memories from spending the fourth with my husband (when we were dating) and my family, especially my brother. One year the mosquito's were quite bad so I had doused myself with repellent. I was walking towards the garage door with Stanley behind me and my brother Mikey behind him. Stanley was playing around with a lighter, when I got to the door it was locked which I wasn't expecting so I pretty much walked into the door. Stanley wasn't paying attention/was so caught off guard by my sudden stop that he walked right into me with the lighter lit. My butt went up in flames for a hot second, literally, from the mosquito repellent. Scared the crap out of me then, but it's pretty funny now to tell people that my husband set me on fire once. 

Hope you all have a wonderful long weekend, stay safe and Happy Independence Day!

O say can you see by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner, O! long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country, should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation.
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the Heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Have yourself a Merry little Christmas

 For to us a child is born,

    to us a son is given,

Isaiah 9:6

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. 

John 1:14

 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 

“Glory to God in the highest,

    and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

Luke 2:10-14

"God broke into the universe to be a holy, divine, saving king forever."- John Piper 

Merry Christmas!

Gifts for the foodie

hedgehog measuring cups/lemon syrup/cookbook/pie pan/knives/spices/cutting board

Gifts for baby

memory box and book/gold loafers/pillow/blanket/playmat/sweater

blocks/sweater/mustache paci/journal/onesie/shoes

Gifts for them: kids and teens

sweatshirt/makeup brushes/kaleidoscope kit/moustaches/wookie tee/pajamas/bracelet

white house block set/tabletop basketball/slingshot/colored pencils/robot/this is books/necklaces

robot kit/hooded scarf/life journals/'diamond' earrings/tattoos/makeup case/ipad sleeve

darth vader tee/vest/book/phone cover/slippers/dolls/blazer/lip set

owl watch necklace/amp speaker/us scratch map/xo earrings/choose your own adventure books/sharp tee/pj's/barrettes 

Gifts for Him

shoes/flannel/sunglasses/book/bottle opener

key fob/iphone case/nikes/pj's/carving board/gold razor holders

   
                                     watches/book/nap sack/bowtie

Gifts for Her

twin triangles necklace/black boots/crystal cave rock ring/earrings/gloves/snake ring/leather clutch/bra

belt/nail art pens/scarf/metallic moccasins/earrings/clutch/arrow bracelet/leather jacket

rose gold knot studs/leather tassel key chain/wool shawl coat/statement necklace/birchbox/pencil skirt



I'd love any/all of these just in case you're wondering  ;)   

Happy shopping!!

Potpourri

You know.....like that Jeopardy! catagory with a little of everything.

I got this lotion for Christmas and it smells SO good!!!

Source: bathandbodyworks.com via Katie on Pinterest

Read this book (LOVE!) and changed a lot of stuff around our house this week.

Source: amazon.com via Katie on Pinterest

Really needed it, thanks Mom!


And speaking of my Mom, this tile backsplash is being installed in my parents kitchen this week.

Source: polyvore.com via Katie on Pinterest

This tile is much less yellow in person! It's a beautiful creamy neutral and I can't wait to see it all done!!

I've been helping them with their kitchen remodel since last summer. It has included new appliances, cabinets, countertops, sink and fixtures, paint, lighting and hardware, and now the backsplash. Flooring will be next, I know my parents are anxious to get this all done.  We've also been working on their office and guest bedroom, I'll be taking some pictures to post soon. The next order up is their master bedroom and bath.

For Christmas I helped my Dad pick out some gorgeous Coral prints and a pair of lamps my Mom had been eyeing for a while. The lamps are similar to this one.

Source: zaplighting.com via Katie on Pinterest

We found them at Ross, they are beautiful and the quality is outstanding! Imagine them against some creamy chocolate walls....yummy! Hopefully this weekend the weather will warm up so we can get out of the house and go look at some paint colors, it's been -30 for the past three days!! Can't wait for it to warm up!


This week I also started (home) school with Jude.  Stanley and I were both home schooled, him almost his whole life and me just through high school. I LOVED being home schooled!!! I got to work part time, play basketball and volleyball and travel a TON with my Aunts. It's also where Stanley and I met!  We made the choice before we had children that we would home school as well and I am really excited to get started! We have this AWESOME curriculum from Timberdoodle and he is LOVING it, as am I! He keeps asking if he can do more school work.....I wonder how long that will last!?

Also getting REALLY excited for Valentines Day because we have our big ultrasound that day! Do you think since it's a "pink" day we'll be having a girl??    ; )
 

Christmas Luminaria trolley tour

On Thursday night my whole family, including my brothers in laws, rented the Great Falls Historic Trolley and took a two hour Christmas Luminaria tour.


 Carol Place aka "The Trolley Lady" drove us all over Great Falls to see some of the best Christmas light displays and led us in singing some Christmas carols. We all had so much fun that we've discussed making this a yearly tradition!

 Here is my Mom and Dad sitting next to my brother Mikey, his wife Jenn and Jenn's sister Abbie.

 Stan "The Man", my cousin Emma, my brother Kurtis and his girlfriend Beth.

                                 

Jude being silly with Grammie and Pa.

                                

   Jude and his (Great) Auntie Tammy.

 My Uncle Dudley and his mom "Mimi" (my cousin Owen is creeping in the back ground) :)

                                               Kurtis and Beth
            

                                                            "The Man" and I

               My cousin Owen and Aunt Caroline (I've blogged before about her photography business, go here to check out  her work!)

Everyone singing. :)

To find out more about the Great Falls Trolley and all the different tours they do go here.

Hope you all are having a wonderful Christmas spent with those you love, but most of all remembering why we celebrate in the first place! 

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee, called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.... And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus." Luke 1:26-27, 30-31

 "And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to the...m, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger... When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. ” Luke 2:8-12,16-20

Merry Christmas!!!!

A Santa free CHRISTmas

Yep, that's right we don't "do Santa" at our house.  A lot of people think we're nuts and from what I have seen a lot of Christians don't have a problem doing Santa with their children. We respectfully disagree.

While over at Gus And Lula today I read this post and Britt sums up our convictions on this matter better and more eloquently than I ever could! So, if you are interested go check it out and bravo Britt!!!

Quiet Time

Source: adventuresofabettycrockerwannabe.blogspot.com via AlerieG on Pinterest

Praying that you will know His peace this Christmas season, the peace that passes all understanding!

Holiday Pinspiration

I LOVE Christmas time!

However, I am SO far behind this year!!!

We put our tree up weeks ago but Phin is at that trying fun stage of I-have-to-touch-EVERYTHING....ie: 18 months old, so we have no ornaments on the bottom half of our tree.

Granted they were there at one point but I got tired of finding them all over the house, not to mention how many glass balls he broke (they were up high where he couldn't reach them so he decided to throw toys at them. He's got a great arm........future Tim Tebeow?!?!!?).


Here are the boys with our tree, before it was used for target practice.

Putting the tree up has been the extent of my holiday preparations so far. No shopping, no decorating (except the Christmas lights outside) etc.

I need some inspiration.....how about you?

Pinterest to the rescue!

Source: themeadowbrookblog.blogspot.com via Anne's Vinyl & so much more on Pinterest

Source: home-biba.blogspot.com via Katie on Pinterest

Source: decorati0ns.net via Katie on Pinterest

Source: 3.bp.blogspot.com via Katie on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Katie on Pinterest

Source: bing.com via Katie on Pinterest

Source: newlyweddiaries.blogspot.com via Katie on Pinterest

Source: houzz.com via Katie on Pinterest

Source: bakerella.com via Katie on Pinterest

Source: themeadowbrookblog.blogspot.com via Katie on Pinterest

(Am I the only one who LOVES vintage Christmas cards??)

Source: flickr.com via Katie on Pinterest

We have a HUGE progressive dinner tomorrow night with our church so I've been busy this week helping a friend and my Mom spruce up their houses for it.

I did a huge gallery wall at my friends house and I can't wait to get some pictures of it!

My Mom and I have been re-covering her dining room chairs for the past three days and we finally finished them last night. We also added some curtains to their dining room.....pictures to come!

Hope you all have a great weekend, I'm off to peel 20 pounds of potatoes!